2 BULLETIN" 433, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
COMMERCIAL PRACTICES IN THE COLD STORAGE OF FRESH BEEF. 
There are two general methods of handling fresh beef in cold 
storage, viz, (1) storage at temperatures above freezing, usually 
between 32° and 38° F., and (2) storage at temperatures below 
freezing, usually between 8° and 12° F. According to Holmes 
(1913), 3.1 per cent of the beef slaughtered commercially in this 
country in 1909 was placed in cold storage at temperatures below 
freezing, which would leave a remainder of 96.9 per cent that must 
have been stored at temperatures above freezing. Beef stored at 
temperatures above freezing is known as fresh or chilled beef. That 
stored at temperatures below freezing is known as frozen beef. 
This discussion is concerned only with chilled beef and the methods 
by which it is handled in the larger meat-packing establishments in 
this country. 
The methods used in the commercial slaughter of cattle are so 
well standardized that they do not demand special discussion. When 
the carcass is completely dressed it is split down the back into two 
equal halves called " sides," which are hung on rails or trolleys. The 
sides are then washed clean, wiped dry, and run into coolers. In 
the larger establishments less than an hour is required from the time 
the animal is stunned until the carcass is placed in the cooler. 
REFRIGERATION. 
" Coolers " are the names applied to the refrigerated rooms in 
which carcasses of beef or other meat food animals, or parts thereof, 
are stored at temperatures above freezing. Meat-packing establish- 
ments are usually supplied with two or more coolers for the handling 
of fresh beef. One of these is known as the " fore cooler,'' into 
which the warm beef is run immediately after slaughter, where it 
is usually held for from 12 to 18 hours until partially chilled. The 
other is known as the " main cooler," into which the partially chilled 
beef from the fore cooler is run and then held therein for shipment 
or other disposal. 
The fore cooler is a very important factor in the proper handling 
of refrigerated beef. When warm beef is placed in a cooler at a 
temperature of about 32° F., the air soon becomes filled with the 
condensed-water vapors arising from the warm carcasses unless 
special provisions have been made for their disposal. If warm beef 
should be run into a cooler that contained chilled beef the water 
vapors would condense upon the cold beef and injure its appearance 
n nd keeping qualities. Likewise the warm beef causes a considerable 
rise in the temperature of the cooler, which may increase to 50° F., 
a temperature which would be injurious to chilled beef held in the 
same cooler. The temperature of the fore cooler is usually brought 
